DESPOTIKO ISLAND ( "little Delos" ) - Sailing the Cyclades

VISITING DESPOTIKO ISLAND

( centeral Cyclades )

... I left Paros and I sailed through the shallows of the western pass of the Paros-Antiparos strait. After a while I arived to the little island of Despotiko ... a kind of little or second Delos ... there I spend the night on achor ...

... I first visited this lovely bay in summer 2010 and immediately I experienced its magic ... since then I return when possible ...

Despotikó (Greek: Δεσποτικό) is a small, uninhabited Greek island in the Cyclades. It is situated west of the island of Antiparos, and east of the smaller island of Strongyli.

The small and dry island is located about 700 m southwest from the shores of Antiparos. Despotiko is situated almost exactly in the center of the Cyclades and during clear days it is possible to view the surrounding islands of Antiparos, Syros, Serifos, Sifnos, Kimolos, Folegandros, Sikinos and Ios (in anticlockwise order). Administratively, the island is part of the community of Antiparos ( source: wikipedia ).

The last time I have been here, was in the summer of 2010! Almost nothing has changed. Somehow I have the impression that time is in perpetual suspension in this place ... but now thinks are slowly change ...

Despotiko: The uninhabited islet, west of Paros and Antiparos (Cyclades) is turning into a visitable site. Focus lies on the marble archaic sanctuary of Apollo.

Archaeological excavations at Mandra, on the uninhabited island of Despotiko west of Antiparos, revealed a new building containing two rooms, each with their own courtyard.

but you are not completely alone out there ... some luxurious yachts birth at this lovely bay between Antiparos and Despotiko ... here the motor yacht LUNA, the former yacht of the Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, a few weeks after an extensive refit ...

( Luna is a luxury motor yacht constructed by Lloyd Werft of Bremerhaven, Germany. It is the second largest expedition yacht, and is currently owned by Farkhad Akhmedov's ex. wife.

At 115 metres (377 ft) long, Luna is the world's second largest expedition yacht and 23rd largest luxury yacht. The yacht's cost has been estimated at over €400m euros (approx. US$545 million as of April 2010).

Luna was delivered to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich on 10 April 2010. Its exterior was designed by NewCruise of Germany and its interior by Donald Starkey.

Luna was sold to a company related to Roman Abramovich's close friend, Farkhad Akhmedov, for $360 million U.S. dollars in April 2014. In October 2014 the yacht was sent to Bremerhaven, Germany for an extensive refit of over $50m. The yacht was delivered in March 2016 after a 16 month extensive refit. [ Wikipedia ] )